The Weinstein Company is pushing Alfonso Gomez-Rejon’s “The Current War,” starring Benedict Cumberbatch, from its Thanksgiving weekend opening, according to a company executive. TWC is now eying a 2018 release for the Thomas Edison biopic.
This is the latest setback for film since the Harvey Weinstein scandal broke. Writer Michael Mitnick dropped out of a scheduled appearance at the New York Film Festival on Friday, and Cumberbatch condemned Weinstein, saying he was “utterly disgusted” by Weinstein’s “horrifying and unforgivable actions.”
Cumberbatch stars in “The Current War” as Thomas Edison, and follows his competition with George Westinghouse (Michael Shannon) to build a marketable and sustainable electricity system.
The film also stars Katherine Waterston (“Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them”), Tom Holland (“Spider-Man: Homecoming”), Matthew Macfadyen (“Ripper Street”), Tuppence Middleton (“The Imitation Game”) and Nicholas Hoult (“Mad Max: Fury Road”) as Nikola Tesla.
Although “The Current War” is still eligible during awards season because of its festival showings, it doesn’t have the benefit of being in theaters.
On Friday, Amazon said it planned to move forward with the Matthew Weiner anthology series “The Romanoffs” without TWC and axed an untitled project from David O. Russell, with Robert De Niro and Julianne Moore attached to star.
Weinstein has fired from the company he founded after several women accused him of misconduct ranging from sexual harassment to rape. He has denied any non-consensual sex occurred.